Looks like these lenses are used in Sigma’s new DP1 and DP2 Merill cameras. Thou in those cameras they are fixed. Hope to hear prices for Merill cameras, ‘case they look very-very interesting as travel camera.

FMJ

oh, thats not too bad after all the complaints of being slow.

price is actually very attractive.

http://EnticngTheLight.com Miserere

It’s slow, but small, light, and cheap. If it autofocuses fast, it might actually be a bargain.

Sony should be taking notes.

http://www.lensporn.net lensporn.net

A lot of people have been bitching about these lenses because of the focal lengths and relatively slow apertures, I always find it hard to understand, surely you put a lens on the camera and work with it by using it for subjects that suit the focal length of the lens, it’s as if people think a lens is useless if it isn’t 18mm or 50mm etc.

Obviously certain focal lengths are more suitable for certain applications but it just seems foolish to dismiss these lenses as valid photographic tools so quickly.

The important thing about these lenses as with all lenses is whether or not they are any good! Considering they are basically the lenses that will be attached to the new generation DP2 and DP2 cameras I would say the chances are quite good for them offering decent IQ.

They might be relatively slow and not the most ambitious in terms of focal length but for all we know they could be amazing bargains offering great IQ for the money!

I’m interested to see some real world shots!

preston

Sure, it’s affordable, which is commendable, but it’s still slow as molasses. Keep in mind the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 was also $200 and you basically can’t improve on that optically, so this Sigma looks expensive compared to that!

fants

Molasses is a bit of an overstatement, don’t you think? The m4/3 version of this lens is an afterthought, I think, but on NEX it’s a different story. If it’s as sharp as I’m hoping, it’ll be smaller than every other NEX lens bar the junky 16/2.8, and that’s certainly a feat worth $200.

pooh

Not that slow as modern sensors’ high ISO capacity are worlds beyond what we used to have, like ten years ago. Not to mention the “super slow” film age, during which people still took perfectly fine pictures with the f/2.8 primes. Plus you don’t get your shallow depth of field on crop sensors anyway.

One stop slower and people are crying. Spoiled they are, which is sad.

One unique stance of the 30/2.8 is its focal length: from the road map published earlier, we won’t be having a standard prime from Sony for the NEX until second half of 2012…

pooh

*”second half of 2013″

Ed

Lens design is about compromises and balance. The Sigma is about 30% lighter and half the volume of the Nikon. These are important for many people.

Anon

This should sell for NEX because, well, there aren’t many lens alternatives! No need for m43 users, who actually have lenses :). Happy Sigma NEXting!

Harold Ellis

yawn, for the price of new sigma (after expected 50% price drop) i can get used fullframe nikon AF 24 or 28/2.8 which will be running circles IQ-wise around it

fants

IF (and that’s a big “if”) these new Sigmas were indeed initially designed for the DPM cameras, you can expect them to be the ones running circles around the Nikons. Anything less would be a big failure on Sigma’s part. (I am, of course, not ruling out said failure!)

pooh

Have a happy time manual focusing those plastic wonders, my friend.

WT21

Same thought here

Harold Ellis

first AF and AF-D lenses are not plastic
second they are not manual focusing only
third…

well ur totl boon

vertigo

Nikon’s old 24 and 28mm f2.8 lenses are kind of bad though.

EnPassant

For those complaining 2.8 is not very fast; Remember this would be a small pancake lense on a DSLR. On a APS-C camera like NEX it has the same field of view as a 45/2.8 FX-lens. And it is with such lenses it should be compared. The Nikon 45/2.8 Ai-P is by the way not cheap even used. A 35/1.8, when Sony make one, will be bigger.

As been mentioned this 30 mm and the 19 mm are propably the same lenses used in the new Merrill compacts. I think it is very nice Sigma make it possible to enjoy these lenses on other cameras without having to buy the DP-1/2 Merrill compacts. And for a reasonable price considering what the actual street price will be.